Rest is essential to be able to lead a less stressed life, hence the importance of sleeping better every night. Did you know that one of the main causes of insomnia is stress? Getting a peaceful sleep is sometimes quite a challenge, but with certain changes in your habits and incorporating these relaxation techniques into your life, you will reach your goal.
The 3 best relaxation techniques to sleep better
The impatience to sleep often scares sleep, causing a lack of concentration and memorization in our day to day and in our work, so only through peace and tranquility will we achieve it. Let’s start!
Method 4-7-8
This relaxation technique, owned by Dr. Andrew Weil, ensures that you can fall asleep in 60 seconds. Perhaps it may be too strong a statement, but it is true that through breathing you can remove from your head those thoughts that continually haunt you, that generate stress and, therefore, prevent you from sleeping well. The 4-7-8 method is performed in four steps:
- Get into a comfortable position and, very importantly, place the tip of your tongue behind your upper front teeth throughout the exercise.
- Then, take all the air you have through your mouth and take a deep breath through your nose for four seconds. Hold your breath until you finish counting to seven.
- Exhale all the air through your mouth for eight seconds and repeat the exercise three more times until you reach four.
- Practice the 4-7-8 method twice a day for two months until you have it built in and it comes out on its own. It will be a way of perfecting the technique and getting to sleep in 60 seconds, as well as helping you to release stress and anxiety.
Practice Yoga
With the practice of yoga you will be able to reduce stress, improve your state of mind, prevent diseases, extend your life, increase your concentration, have better sexual relations and, what interests us, and sleep better, because through this discipline the levels are increased serotonin and melatonin production. There are simple postures that you can do every night to reach your goal:
- Baby’s posture. Get on your knees and bring your butt to your heels while leaning your body forward to finish by resting your forehead on the floor and leaving your arms stretched behind you. Stay in this position for 30 seconds, controlling your breath. You can repeat it as many times as you want.
- The clamp. It will allow you to eliminate the tension that you may have accumulated in your back. Sit with your legs stretched out and, depending on how flexible you are, try to grab your feet with your hands. Stay in this position for 10 seconds. You may not be able to keep your legs straight at first, but it will be a matter of time.
- The dog facing up. Lie on your stomach, with your legs slightly open and, with your hands resting on the floor, gradually raise your trunk until your arms are fully stretched.
Massage, breathing and relaxation
For 5 or 10 minutes, perform a scalp massage. The most important thing here is to do it gently, pressing the fingertips on the head and that the movement goes from the forehead to the nape of the neck. If you find it difficult or complicated, ask a family member for help. Then focus on the moment of conscious breathing. Sit on the edge of the bed, with your back straight and your shoulders back. Close your eyes, take a breath in three sections and throw it out through your mouth three more times. Finally, from that same position, move your feet and hands in circles out and in.
Other tips to sleep better
Forget the mobile
When you go to sleep, you should try to relax your mind. Having the mobile near you can alter your sleep cycles. If you can’t avoid it because it serves as an alarm clock, at least disconnect the Wi-Fi data.
Excess or deficiency food
A hearty dinner before going to bed can cause bad digestion and, therefore, alter your sleep. Ideally, let two hours pass between eating food and sleeping and, above all, eat light things. And what happens when you go to sleep without having eaten anything? That you will be so hungry that it will be impossible for you to fall into the hands of Morpheus.
Avoid alcohol and stimulants
- Contrary to what many people may think, alcohol is not a muscle relaxant or an ally to fall asleep. On the contrary, alcohol consumption before going to sleep alters the phases of sleep, affecting the quality and quantity of hours slept. Or have you not noticed how after a night of partying you quickly fall into bed, but wake up several times? There is the reason.
- On the other hand, the consumption of drinks with thane, such as tea or coffee in the middle of the afternoon, can negatively alter your sleep rhythm by increasing your activity in the brain. If it is in the afternoon, better a decaf. Your body will thank you.
Take care of your environment
Just as we told you at the beginning that it is very important to avoid sleeping with your mobile next to you, there are other details that you should also take care of and that can help you win the battle against insomnia. All of them are related to the environment of the room: put a dim light, find a temperature with which you are neither cold nor hot, say no to noise, and choose a comfortable pillow…
Establish a routine to sleep better
Our body is like a clock that we have to program, so it is important that you establish a series of routines that “warn” you that you have to go to sleep in a short period of time. We are talking about always going to bed at the same time, taking a bath before going to sleep, not overdoing it with a nap (if you take it), exercising in the afternoon to release endorphins…
